The action we take and the decisions we make in this decade will have consequences far into this century. If America shows weakness and uncertainty, the world will drift toward tragedy. That will not happen on my watch.
George W. BushRead
We can't allow the world's worst leaders to blackmail, threaten, hold freedom-loving nations hostage with the world's worst weapons.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of standing up against oppressive leaders who use threats to control others.
In this quote, George W. Bush expresses a strong stance against authoritarian leaders who exploit fear and weaponry to manipulate and dominate free nations. He highlights the need for collective resistance and courage in order to protect the values of freedom and democracy on a global scale.
Themes
LeadershipFreedomCourageThreatWeapons
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech about international relations at a global summit.
More from George W. Bush
All quotes βThousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.
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Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended.
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Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power and it is to serve people.
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Adoption was such a positive alternative to abortion, a way to save one life and brighten two more: those of the adoptive parents.
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We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions - by abandoning every value except the will to power - they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way, to where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies.
George W. BushRead
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